Thumb sucking
@Informative82 (2)
June 16, 2012 1:34pm CST
How do you stop a child sucking their thumb. My first daughter had a dummy and gladly gave it to father Christmas when she was 18months however my second daughter started sucking her thumb and I didn't see any harm in it at the time but biggest mistake of my life letting her. It's now a comforter to her. She's 6 years old and her new teeth are coming and I'm so scared they'll be pushed out. I've tried perfume etc on the thumb, plasters, but no joy. Any suggestions or stories similar?
3 responses
@billutheguy (179)
• India
16 Jun 12
I never had the problem myself , but I had a cousin who had this problem , he started talking and everything but still couldn't stop sucking his thumb. His parents tried coating it with bitter stuff or even applying chilly sauce, but then once he rubbed his eyes and the whole thing back fired. Secretly applying bitter stuff also didn't work , that's because its a human after all not a dog, owner can just punish him for doing something its not supposed to and it'll eventually just stop.
I think the support needed here is more moral than retribution of any kind. Since the child is old enough to properly understand you try talking to her. Might seem cruel but if nothing works embarrass her into leaving it.
Try to make her realize it is a big deal and try to make speculate the horrible future she might have to face if this goes on . The circumstances are bad enough already so it might be relatively easier to make her realize how bad it makes her look.
Good Luck with it!
@se7enthbird (8307)
• Philippines
16 Jul 12
I think telling her directly might help her. Getting angry or a simple punishment may also help. When i was a child, i did have a problem like this and i do remember that my grandmother let my thumb in my mouth and i will not take it out until she says so, i did that for five hours and after that i did learned my lesson, she talked to me properly and told me that i should avoid it because i am now old and others might laugh at me in school. Try something like that 
@meumeu25 (917)
• United Arab Emirates
23 Jun 12
My brother is already 16 now and he still sucks his thumb when he sleeps. I guess my parents hadn't tried hard enough to stop him. When he was still very young, they tried to put a very bitter herbal medicine on his thumb but it didn't help. We talked to him about it, he is trying to control it now but he forgets sometimes.
@SHAMRACK (8576)
• India
20 Jun 12
Dear friend,
My sister's son used do thumb sucking upto age of 3 years. They used to give him something to chew or make him to talk. Later gradually he his not sucking and now stopped it compeletly. I feel it is would be to stop before it turns to addiction or habit. May be a pediatrician could do some thing much better. If she is 6 year old I feel her school books could be given to read aloud, she study it and avoid sucking...all the best.
